Threshold seal



Sept. 15, 1959- A. A. LOEH'R THRESHOLD SEAL Filed NOV. 20, 1957 INVENTIOR. AMBPOJE A. LOEl/P fi ATTon/ve v United States Patent THRESHOLD SEAL Ambrose A. Loehr, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Application November 20, 1957, Serial No. 697,706

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-64) This invention relates to improvements in a threshold seal assembly and more particularly to a threshold seal of the type used to provide a proper weather seal for the bottom of an exterior door. The present invention provides a novel and economical threshold seal which may be installed without complicated instructions and which may be fitted to any existing door with the least amount of skilled workmanship.

An object of this invention is to provide an economical threshold seal assembly having a means for easily installing the same which requires no special training or detailed written instructions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a threshold seal assembly which can be placed in proper position and subsequently replacement of the flexible seal portion can be completed without removal of the threshold base or without disturbing the operation of the door.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for holding a flexible seal portion in proper position in connection with a threshold which can be removed to permit replacement of the flexible seal whenever desired.

A yet further object of this invention is to provide a threshold seal which can be installed by inexperienced workmen and subsequently maintained by a person having no previous training or maintenance knowledge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a threshold seal assembly having an insert portion which accommodates the seal portion whereby the insert can be removed as desired to facilitate and permit replacement of the seal portion.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved threshold seal assembly, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

With the drawings in mind and intending to form a part of this specification, there being two embodiments of the improvement in threshold seals shown, like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the drawing in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the invention as shown in proximity with a portion of the door, the lower edge thereof pressing the flexible seal portion to efiect a weather proof seal.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled invention, showing a part of the wooden threshold broken away to best show the location of the locking projection portion on the insert piece.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View of a modification-of the invention, showing a metal threshold adapted to accommodate the insert portion shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the insert portion which in turn accommodates the flexible seal portion of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 15 indicates generally the threshold seal assembly. The wooden threshold 16 is a standard style and is shaped by special means to accommodate the metal insert 18 Patented Sept. 15, 1959 1 therein. The type threshold shown and described in this application is located beneath the bottom edge 36 of a door 17. The lower edge 36 of the door is necessarily spaced from the threshold itself a suflicient distance to permit operative location and yet an effective seal.

There are several known Weatherstripping and sealing means employed for the other edges of the door and their type and application will not be a part of the description of this invention.

The most damaged and most difiicult portion of a door to properly seal generally becomes the bottom edge porthreshold seal.

- asset in the building trade.

' permitted in assembling the threshold is such as to aleviate subsequent refitting by a highly skilled carpenter.

Installation costs have been an important factor in the.

design and construction of the present invention, as well 1, as the problem of permitting quick replacement of the flexible seal portion. The ordinary wooden threshold portion .16 is made and subsequently specially grooved so as to provide a plurality of parallel grooves 19, 20'

and 21 therein on the upper face portion 37 In addition a horizontally located groove 22 is formed along one edge of the groove 19. This horizontal groove 22 can be provided in any of a number of conventional ways, the groove 22 is formed as shown in the drawings and does not generally weaken the construction of the threshold; this groove 22 will at times be referred to as the locking groove.

The grooved wooden threshold 16 accommodates a metal insert 18 which can be an extruded aluminum or metal strip cut to the proper dimensions as determined by the door for which the device is intended to be adapted. This metal insert 18 has an extension or projection 23 which is integral with the insert 18 and-is formed so as to project'into the horizontal groove 22 when the insert 18 is installed.

A pair of parallel hollow grooves 24 and 25 are provided in the insert so as to accommodate the end portions 27 and 28 of the flexible seal portion 38. These hollow grooves 24 and Y25 are of a size to fit the special size and design of the seal which might be used. Naturally there can be any design or thickness of material used in any of the parts of the invention; however, cost and practical construction methods will limit thicknesses and types of materials used. To insert the flexible seal portion 38 into its proper position the end portions 27 and 28 of the seal are inserted in the open end of the grooves 24 and 25 and the seal is then slid into its opera-' removal and the present invention was designed for just such areason.

In assembly of the device the insert 18 is positioned such that the projection 23 on the insert fits into the horizontal or looking groove 22. The opposite edge of the metal insert 18 is then secured by a number of screws 30 spaced at necessary intervals sufficient to hold the insert 18 in a tight juxtaposed position, with the wooden threshold. The various shoulder portions such as 24 of the grooves in the wooden threshold 16 prevent any movement of the insert 18 once properly installed.

Naturally a metal threshold such as shown in Fig. 3 can be just as effectively used in the construction of the present invention. It is not intended to limit the type of material from which the threshold itself can be made and the type of materials used have very little direct effect upon the effectiveness of the invention, other than the fact that the materials must be workable. Grooves 19, 20 and 21 of the wooden threshold 16 correspond to the grooves 19', 20' and 21' formed in the metal threshold, and are extruded in the formation of the metal threshold the same as the various grooves are formed during extruding operation in the metal insert 18.

The flexible seal 38 can be made of a vinyl plastic material and can be effectively used for several years without the need for replacement. It is pointed out, however, that any flexible or pliable materials can be employed without deviating from the intention of the present invention. Naturally the type of material used must resist considerable abuse and cannot be easily cut or damaged since the threshold portion of most doors takes considerable abuse. Where there is damage to the flexible seal portion of a door assembly such as this there must be an economical and etficiently fast method of replacement; the present invention permits this.

In most cases where a wooden door 17 isnt sealed along the bottom edge the present invention can be effectively installed. A slight taper to the bottom edge 36 of the door may be provided with a taper being downward from the outside 31 to the inside 32 of the door so that the corner edge of the door will not continually dig into the flexible seal 38 and perhaps wear the seal 38 unnecessarily. It might be further pointed out that by means of the flexible seal 38 there is an insulating air pocket 35 within the seal 38 for increasing the efliciently constructed door seal. It may be easily determined from Fig. l of the drawing that the door provides an effective seal when closed.

It is pointed out that removal of the insert 18 cannot be completed without removal of the screws 30 and that the flexible seal 38 cannot in turnbe removed without removal of the insert 18.

The specific illustrations and corresponding descrip tion are used for the purpose of disclosure only, and various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. All of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

What I claim as the invention is:

1. A threshold assembly comprising: a base piece having a pair of longitudinally extending grooves therein along the top surface thereof, one of said grooves having an overhanging portion projecting toward the center of the top surface portion of the base piece, an insert piece having a projection along one edge thereof adapted to underly the overhanging portion of said groove when the insert is in operative location, another projection on said insert adapted to project and occupy the other of said grooves, means for securing said insert in operative position in juxtaposition with said base piece, a flexible weather seal adapted for removal from said insert piece upon release of the insert piece from its operative position, said insert having the weather seal in operative position and being readily removable from said base piece in an upper motion and means on said flexible seal for effectively preventing removal thereof while the insert piece is in operative position.

2. A threshold assembly comprising: a base member having longitudinally extending grooves therein along the top surface portion, a removable solid insert adapted to be accommodated within said grooves, said insert having a projecting portion adjacent one edge thereof and lying beneath an overhanging portion of said base member when the insert is placed in operative position, a removable securing means adjacent the opposite edge of said insert for securely holding the insert in said operative position, a flexible seal member adapted to be removed from said insert upon removal of said insert from its operative position subsequent to release of said securing means, and said insert having its securing means adapted to permit removal of the insert when the flexible member is in its operative position.

3. A threshold seal comprising: an elongated threshold having a groove running lengthwise thereof, removable insert adapted for cooperative juxtaposition therewith, said insert having interlocking means for securely holding the insert in place in said groove, said interlocking means being an extension on said insert and a corresponding groove in said threshold and a screw for securing the insert in operative position with said threshold, and being readily removable in an upward direction when the threshold is in operative position.

4. A locking and sealing means for a threshold comprising: an elongated threshold having a center section and having a groove extending lengthwise thereof and horizontally away from the center section, an insert adapted to removably accommodate. a flexible seal, said insert having an extension along one elongated edge thereof projecting horizontally away from the opposite elongated edge thereof, and cooperating to form interlocking means for securing the insert in said threshold, and means for securing the free edge of said insert to the threshold, said insert being readily removable from said threshold when a flexible seal is accommodated by said insert,

5. A threshold assembly comprising: a base member, an insert piece removably secured to said base member, said insert piece having a pair of longitudinally extending grooves therein adapted to accommodate a flexible seal member, a flexible seal member positioned for projection above the insert piece, and having a portion thereof extending into said grooves, and means on said flexible seal member for preventing removal of the same from said insert except by sliding the said seal member longitudinally of said insert, and means for removably securing said insert to the base member, said grooves being of a size to prevent removal or insertion of said flexible seal member except in a longitudinal manner.

6. A threshold assembly comprising: a base member having a groove therein, a removably mounted insert having a portion thereof projecting downwardly into said groove in the base member, said insert having a groove extending lengthwise thereof, a removable flexible seal portion having an enlarged edge portion adapted to be accommodated in the groove portion of the insert whereby the flexible seal is prevented from being removed upwardly from ithe insert portion, and means for removably securing the insert in juxtaposed relation with said base member, said insert being readily removable from the base member when the removable flexible seal has the enlarged edge portion in'position in said groove portion of the insert.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS KMMMM' 

